Phalaenopsis orchid plant named ‘Honeymoon’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Honeymoon’ particularly characterized by flowers which are white with some yellow and red/purple in the labellum; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Phalaenopsis hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Honeymoon’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Honeymoon’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, René Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 2000 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is an unnamed cultivar of Phalaenopsis amabilis, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Hawaiian Pearl’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2008 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in July, 2008 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar asexually reproduces true-to-type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Honeymoon’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. flowers which are white with some yellow and red/purple in         the labellum;     -   2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;     -   3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using         tissue culture;     -   4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and     -   5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Honeymoon’, the female parent Phalaenopsis amabilis has white flowers and are about 7 cm in size. The male parent ‘Hawaiian Pearl’ has white flowers and are about 12 cm in size, whereas the flowers of ‘Honeymoon’ are white and are about 10 cm in size.

Presently, the most similar commercial cultivars to which ‘Honeymoon’ can be meaningfully compared are ‘Late Frost’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/999,402) and ‘Lively’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/999,401). The size of the petals and sepals differs and also the size of the cirrhi differs between these three cultivars and the amount of yellow on the cirrhi. The midlobe of ‘Lively’ has a red/purple edge on the upper side and ‘Honeymoon’ has a purple haze on the midlobe, whereas on the midlobe of ‘Late Frost’ there is orange/red and purple/violet. The amount of yellow on the midlobe also differs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Honeymoon’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Honeymoon’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Honeymoon’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Honeymoon’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Honeymoon’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Honeymoon’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Honeymoon’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Honeymoon’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Honeymoon’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Honeymoon’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Honeymoon’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Honeymoon’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrida. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Unnamed Phalaenopsis amabilis             cultivar, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Hawaiian Pearl’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-8             mm wide and greyed-green/green in color (RHS 190B and in the             pot RHS 137B); freely branching. It takes 12 weeks for             plants growing in tissue culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 60 to 70 cm. Spread: about             40 to 60 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Normal; green leaves (RHS N137B) and a             relatively large raceme.         -   Vigor.—Moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 1-3 racemes with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—Half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—Oval, the tip is blunt and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—Smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Mature leaf length.—About 10 to 20 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—About 6 to 9 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—About 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color (upper surface).—Green (RHS N137B).         -   Mature leaf color (under surface).—Green (RHS 138A).         -   Leaf base.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel. Color of midvein: upper             surface: green (RHS N137B). Under surface: green (RHS 138C             and some RHS 137B). -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Raceme.—Quantity per plant: about 1 to 3. Number of flowers             per raceme: about 8 to 14. Length: about 59 cm.         -   Peduncle.—Diameter: about 4 to 6 mm. Strength: strong.             Aspect: upright. Texture: glabrous and smooth. Color: green             (RHS 137B).         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 23 mm. Diameter (at             midpoint): about 21 mm. Shape: oval with a rounding on the             side. Color: green (RHS 141C) with some RHS 142A.         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 1-3             racemes appear with flower buds and flowers. First flowers             can be expected approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a             plant with a leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: Typical shape of             Phalaenopsis; see FIG. 2. Size (of single bloom): Height:             about 7 to 10 cm. Diameter: about 7 to 10 cm. Quantity and             arrangement: three petals and three sepals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Inner whorl comprises 3 petals: 2             lateral petals and a labellum. 2 lateral petals: Overall             shape: broadly ovate and weakly cupped. Apex: round with a             notch. Margin: entire and weakly undulate. Base: broadly             ovate. Length: about 51 mm. Width: about 42 mm. Texture:             Upper surface: smooth and satiny. Under surface: smooth and             satiny. Color (when fully opened) upper and under surface:             white (RHS NN155D). Labellum: Overall shape: 3-lobed with 2             prominent callosities at central junction of the lateral             lobes and base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of labellum             fold upward about the column; the midlobe extends forward             and is terminated by 2 filiform appendages at the apex.             Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape while the             midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it. Margin:             entire and weakly undulate. Apex: oval. Length: about 25 mm.             Width (not flattened): about 24 mm. Depth of tube created by             lateral lobes of labellum: about 16 mm. Texture: Upper &             under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened):             Midlobe: upper surface: white (RHS NN155D). At the base in             the center and in the corners yellow/green (RHS 1B). At the             base a small edge RHS N170B and a purple haze (RHS N78B).             Under surface: At the base in the center and in the corners             some yellow/green (RHS 1B). At the upper edges a small line             RHS N170B. Lateral lobes: upper surface: white (RHS NN155D).             Lower edge is yellow (RHS 3A). At the base some red/purple             stripes (RHS 58A). Under surface: white (RHS NN155D). Lower             edge is yellow (RHS 3A). Cirrhi: about 27 mm (long and             wavy). Color: yellow (RHS 2B). Pestle (Callosities): Length:             about 5 mm. Width (not flattened): about 8 mm. Color: yellow             (RHS 2B) with grey/orange spots (RHS N170A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals, one             dorsal and two lateral sepals. Overall shape: egg-shaped.             Length: about 47 mm. Width: about 35 mm. Margin: entire and             weakly undulate. Apex: oval with a notch. Texture: Upper &             under surface: smooth and satiny. Color (when fully opened):             Upper surface: Dorsal: white (RHS NN155D). Lateral: white             (RHS NN155D) with at the base a red/purple mark (RHS 70B).             Under surface: Dorsal & lateral: white (RHS NN155D) with a             very light green/yellow haze (RHS 150C). Some also have a             light purple haze (RHS 77B).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 36 to 45 min. Diameter: about 3 to             5 mm. Texture: glabrous and smooth. Color: from the flower             white (RHS N155D) with a purple haze (RHS 77B) which runs             into yellow/green (RHS 144B). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 9 mm. Diameter: about 6 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155D).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: two. Size: about 1 mm. Color: orange             (RHS N25C).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 2 mm. Diameter: about 1 mm. Color:             white (RHS NN155D). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15     ° C. and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Honeymoon’, as illustrated and described herein. 